The Slowcook at Spydog Farm The Slowcook at Spydog Farm

Germination!

December 12th, 2008 · 7 Comments · Posted in Uncategorized

Things are starting to happen under our winter tunnel. The seeds I planted back on Nov. 26 are starting to turn into little plants. Here are the tiny mizuna seedlings, looking much larger than real life once enlarged in the photo editing process.

And here is the arugula, always a pretty reliable germinator. I checked the length of the bed and also found mustards, spinach, collards, kale and lettuce sprouting. Now the question is whether these little plants can survive the deepest part of winter. The days will soon be getting longer, but the temperatures will probably get colder. Lately we’ve been seeing a range from the mid-20s into the 50s. We really should have planted these seeds in September. Had we done so, we could be harvesting by now.

I’m impressed by the job our Canon Elph camera does with such small subjects. The sharpness of image is there even when blown up several times. Tiny pebbles look like massive boulders.

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  • Mosby

    How about a photo of the winter tunnel?

  • Ed Bruske

    Mosby, I posted a photo not long ago. Try using the search feature at the top of the page.

  • Sylvie, Rappahannock Cook & Kitchen Gardener

    Ed, I know a gardener a few miles from me who has an unheated hoop house – a standing poly tunnel. She sows and harvest continuously throughout the winter. She prefers to eat her greens young. Her seeds germinate throughout the winter – at least that’s my understandinbg. She uses Reemay alos on some of her tunnel beds. It’s just is marvelous and it smells so good in there.

    Good luck. Please keep reporting on your experiment!

  • Kateri

    Little sprouts are always so exciting. Keep us posted on their progress.

  • Kathy

    Ed, I’ve just watched your videos on vegetable gardening and composting. I’m a newcomer to gardening, but I’m excited. I’ve done a little summer gardening, and I’m eager to add to it. I might even try to start something before winter is over. Thank you for making all this seem within reach of a novice!

  • Charlotte

    I’m jealous — the high here today was -7. I know Eliot Coleman does it, but he’s a commercial grower – and I have to say, although I hate buying scallions and parsley from strangers at the store, I sort of like the peace of winter.

  • Ed Bruske

    Sylvie, that is very encouraging news. Still, I don’t think I would wait this long to plant in the future. It takes so much longer for the plants to get established.

    Kateri, I will definitely keep you posted. I’m always very curious myself. Last time I peeked under the plastic tunnel, the seedlings were still doing fine, though very small.

    Kathy, vegetable gardening is totally accessible to the beginner. How do you think the rest of us got started? It’s a lifelong learning process. I’m glad you enjoyed the videos. Just keep planting–and above all feed your soil first. Make compost if you can.

    Charlotte, if I lived anywhere where it was -7 degrees, I don’t think I would be gardening without a greenhouse.